Carmen House
by Nijuu
Summary: An AU story about Luke, who applies for a job as caretaker of an estate. Once he meets the residents, he realizes they all have one thing in common: Music. As he observes the group's love of music for a month, he is asked if he will accept the job. AU
1. Chapter 1

**_Carmen House_**

**A/N: This is an AU Tales of the Abyss story that I started a long time ago. I don't think I'll ever get around to finishing it, but I'm going to put it on here so I don't lose it. It's about Luke, who gets a job as a caretaker of a mansion. You'll learn the rest within the first few chapters.I hope you all like it, but if not, please don't flame me. I spent a long time on this and really enjoyed writing (what I did of) it. Since it is AU, don't expect it to follow any IC guidelines. Just enjoy the ride, or get off. I'll warn you now of close-mindedness, OOCness, extreme thesaurus-like detail, stuff not making sense, plot getting on too fast, and the like. See you all in chapter 2! R & R please.**

_Chapter One "Listen not with your ears, but with your heart."_

I stepped carefully off the carriage and tipped the driver before crossing the street to my meeting place. It was a cool autumn day, the leaves just beginning to change. However, the streets were busy and loud, and I nearly ran into quite a few bustling people. I was already late as things were.

But so was he, it appeared. I stood in front of a dark gray brick building in the middle of town. It was an inn, but it was just a place to meet. I suppose it was a good choice only because the building had been standing for over a century. It hadn't always been an inn, but the details are meaningless. 

My name is Luke Fon Fabre. I work as a therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, whatever you want to call it. Basically, I work with people as well as mental and emotional thought processes. Although I'm thought to be very good at my job, for I understand humans very well, business there had slowed and I was looking for a new job. The man I was supposed to be meeting would hopefully enlighten that prospect.

As I continued to wait, I heard something peculiar come from inside the inn. It couldn't be described, but I had never heard anything like it before. Shrill pitches and moving tones were very faint and I strained to listen closer, but I couldn't distinguish it before a voice called out to me.

"Are you...Luke Fon Fabre?" A man asked after looking at a piece of folded paper in his hand. I didn't get a good look at him as I nodded, and he didn't even introduce himself. He merely put the paper away in his pocket and beckoned for me to follow him. I had no choice but to comply if I was to find out what this job was. 

We weaved between crowds and through masses of people, a strong wind pushing against us. Finally, we were in a quieter, more subdued area of town, and the man turned back to see if I had kept up. "The Princess has allowed for you to stay in her estate for one month and see how you like it. If you are well-liked and enjoy the place, you may have the job." The man's voice was smooth and low, but he sounded cold and angry as a person.

As a social worker, I could tell by looking at him that he was stern and strictly rule. His name he'd told me over the phone one day: Colonel Jade Curtiss. Even then he sounded standoffish, a composure about him that had little sense of humor. He wore a navy coat, so dark it was closer to black, with gray trim and dark colorless pants tucked into his military boots. His hair was shaded amber and straight, falling around his shoulders. He was tall and a little pale, and at first glance, his grave features render one speechless.

Turning my thoughts back to Jade's words, I nodded. "Well, I'm known to be good with people, so the residents will be no problem." Then I analyzed his words again and found myself frowing in puzzlement. "Though _princess_ is a term I find a bit old-fashioned," I said quietly, but immediately understood as we approached the estate.

"Well," Jade started with a short sigh. "Here we are. Carmen House, Royal Estate of Princess Natalia Oakland." 

The estate was monstrous; like a castle. I was so apalled by its size that Jade had to give me a couple of minutes to take it in. The wrought-iron gates hinged between brick pillars had the words _Carmen House_ entwined in them. A bleak path of worn cobblestone led up to the front doors I could already tell were heavy wood. Enormous, ashen bricks and stones made up the walls and windows of every shape and size dotted the exterior in perfect alignment and spacing. The structure was even lined with a small string of ivy climbing up the north side. Lanterns and other elegant light fixtures could be seen both through the windows and beside the front door.

Jade waited patiently as I took in the distant sight, the chrome keys jangling delicately in his hand. I gave a nod and he unlocked the gates so smoothly I wouldn't have thought them to be locked at all. He had no doubt gotten the practice from opening those gates many times. We paced down the footpath slowly, for I was still staring in awe at the apple, cherry, redwood, oak, pine, and pear trees that dotted the yard. A fall cloud of fog grazed the greenery, making even the walkway slightly more gray.

Once we reached the door, Jade took his key to the lock again, but didn't turn it until I looked at him. "Once we step inside, I'll give you a tour. I'd like for you to stay with me for all of it so you don't get lost." I said I understood, for I knew it would not be hard to get lost in this mansion. Jade turned the key and pushed the great doors open, stepping inside and holding the door open for me. I was floored.

The entire placed was colored a deep, rich brown, and the first thing my eyes fell on was a grand, spiralling staircase the color of cocoa. It had a dark, wine-colored rug on it to soften the sound of each step, and the rail was shiny enough to be considered metallic. Polished wood floors reflected the sheen of the dazzling lights, designs of exquisite ivory and fragile porcelain. Pale yellows and orange from the lights swept from the walls and disappeared into the high ceiling.

The walls were painted soft beige and held portraits of people I'd never heard of and landscapes of places I'd never dreamt of seeing. Beauty was in every portion of that room, from the doorknobs to the paintings, and the door closing behind me snapped me back to reality. Jade gave me a careful look. "Where did you grow up, boy?" Jade asked of sheer curiousity, and I couldn't blame him. The way I marveled at the design would make anyone think I had been raised on a farm.

Smiling, I simply replied, "Nowhere like this," and he led me out of the foyer. To the right was a large room with many sculptures and paintings, musical instruments, and other knickknacks. The next room was filled wall-to-wall with shelves and shelves of books. Then another sculpture room, and Jade gave me a moment to admire as he stepped out to find the servant. Striking art was everywhere in this room, and I took a good look at every work. Curving, falling, flowing, streaming, rushing, rippling, or rolling, everything was absolutely gorgeous. I had never been this exposed to art before I came here. And I was hopefully in for a lot more.

Jade returned, not with the servant, but with a look that implied we were moving on. I was baffled by another library, and then a geography room, filled with maps on every wall and a huge central globe. Everything in this house was double or triple the size it need be. After a while, I noticed a pattern: Every single room we'd visited besides the foyer and geography room had either paintings, sculptures, books, or musical instruments. This made everything less thrilling, but the house was so expansive, the rooms _had_ to be the same at one point.

"This way, please," Jade guided, and we were in a very large room with a long, cherry oak dining table. Of course, the dining room. Candles filled the walls and flowers formed the centerpiece, along with saltshakers and other bottles. Other than that, the table was empty. It had four matching chairs on each length side and one person sat at the head of the table, likely the Princess. The area smelled fresh and though it was dark, (for the curtains were drawn on the already scarce windows) it was still lovely.

Sitting rooms and guest rooms came next, followed by the bathrooms. Again, flowing whites and creams with matching towels and cloths in each room greeted my eyes. The baths were flawless, and the showers perfect. So perfect in fact, they made one not want to bathe for fear of ruining the beauty. I, however, would be pleased to, for I had never bathed in a finer atmosphere. Candles were again present, as well as scented soaps and bath salts. Who had time for all this?

That question stirred some thought in me: I hadn't seen a single person (besides Jade) since I'd come here. There were also no signs of life: noises, moved furniture, misplaced things, voices, or even notes. I asked Jade about this and he only chuckled and said, "We'll get to the residents later. You'd be surprised at the size of this place in relation with the number of people; some of these rooms go unused. We have yet to go upstairs also." I slumped at the sound of this.

We reached the last downstairs room and I must admit, it was the most beautiful of them all so far. It had the largest area, enough to be a house of its own. The marble floors were pure white, disrupted only by shadows. The entire back wall was completely window, sectioned by thin black lines only seldom. Fair alabaster curtains were pinned to the sides, very sleek and plain, but still elegant. White ceilings, but what surprised me at first was its emptiness. The largest room had the least amount of content, which puzzled me. 

Our footfalls echoed through the bleak, deserted room, stark empty. No lights were on, but the window was the provider for that. Jade suddenly grew very reserved (well it's not as if he was even talking to begin with), and his expression fell to a look of pain almost. But he moved nearly to the back of the room, near the window but still by the center, and stopped. I approached him and gave him his silence. 

"This," he started, his voice controlled, as he reached out to about elbow height. He gripped something, for perhaps it was invisible because I saw nothing, and pulled his arm across his chest and stepped back. A sound like wind strongly blowing cloth was heard at that very moment, so loud I, too, stepped back as it filled the echoing room. A sheet of white blinded my vision for a moment and I looked at Jade. Once the sound settled, I saw that he was holding a large white sheet, too big even for a king size bed. He still looked hurt, but I turned to what he was looking at.

"Is something of my own." There, right before my eyes, was the most stunning grand piano I had ever seen. I had only ever seen one before, and it was broken, but this one was in mint condition. It's surface was jet black, a lacquer-like sheen glossing over it with white reflected light. I would have thought it was smooth had I felt it, but just by looking I could tell it was finely polished and well taken care of. It stood in tranquil silence, the board over the keys, basking in the misty sunlight. It must sound magnificent in this room, a room reserved only for it to play. 

When I turned to look at Jade again, he was gone, and I looked for him frantically until I saw him lifting the guard from the keys. I gasped aloud when I saw them: brilliant white rectangles with a satiny sheen, perfect, flawless, just like everything else in this building. The black keys had the same luster as the piano body. It looked brand-new, but it was Jade's, so he must've played it before. I gave this a thought and turned to him. "So you play piano?" He nodded solemnly, and I did too.

The sad thing was, I'd never heard a note of music before in my life. I only recognized instruments through study, though I had no idea what any of them sounded like. I knew the piano was pretty though, as my friends had told me before. Feeling excitement rise within me, I said, "So play something."

Jade gave me a look as if I had just slapped him across the face. "Why would I do that?" he asked dourly, a harsh glare in his red eyes. I was confused, and he let the board slam back down over the keys.

"Well, I've never heard music before, so I thought you would play me something." I sounded a little weird asking this, but from everything I'd heard about the beauty of music, I really yearned to hear something then. Jade raised a gloved hand to his silver frames though and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I just don't have the time. Perhaps another day." Back to his usual, emotionless self, he asked, "Shall we continue our tour?" I said yes and we left, the white sheet that had camoflauged the piano earlier still laying on the floor.

The top floor was more of less the same, only with less rooms. The final room we arrived in was the Princess's room. Jade entered directly after knocking, and for the first time, I saw someone else in the mansion. "Natalia," Jade began, and I immediately noticed they must've been good friends for him to address her so casually, "This is Luke Fon Fabre. He is the applicant for the job of caretaker."

Princess Natalia was a woman of perhaps nineteen, wearing a loose turquoise gown laced with whites and other pale blues. She wore silver jewelry and looked very much like a princess in a castle, though she was just an owner of an estate. She had short strawberry blonde curls and wore a silver headband. Her skin was pale, her eyes distant, and her voice weak. It appeared she was ill.

"Jade," she managed, sitting up slightly and looking at him. "I've told you a thousand times. I'm giving the estate to you." She was interrupted by a fit of coughing and she raised a delicate, white-gloved hand to her lips, closing her eyes in anguish. Waving her other hand, she said, "Send this boy away."

This evoked a small smile from Jade and he shifted his weight. "Your sickness is consuming you," he remarked with no sympathy or softness at all. "And I cannot accept the estate when a life of military awaits me." I flinched at his cruel words, for he seemed to have no problem turning down such a gracious offer. Natalia was used to it though and she gave him a serious look.

"He may look around as he likes and stay as long as you permit. I will take that time to consider it." Coughing again, she flicked her wrist and Jade hurriedly guided me out of the room.

Looking at his watch, Jade said, "Dinner will be at six o'clock. Feel free to walk around the garden or find the other residents. The servant should be around, and there's also a path that leads through the woods if you get really bored." Jade added the last part with such exasperation I figured he'd been on the trail himself before.

"Thanks," I said as he walked off. Heading back downstairs, I decided to take his first suggestion and went outside to find the garden. The mist was setting in as afternoon did, and the cool dampness of the air was soothing. Reading one gray sign in the yard, I found my way to the back, where a lush garden was.

Dirt pathways wound their way through the flowers and plants, bordered by small stones individually placed along each path outline. I found the starting place and took a tour through the fragrant jungle of plantlife. There was a great variety and quantity, flowers of every color at least once, if not twice. Heliotrope balanced well with the rose bushes, and smaller flowers dotted the fertile soil.

After pushing past a tree limb, I found the center of the garden, surrounded by dahlias and daisies. A tightly bricked circle in the path symbolized the very heart of the garden. To my surprise, placed in the circle was a chair of twisted straw painted white, and cushioned by floral pillows. Perhaps someone liked to spend time out here and think. After all, there wasn't much else to do around the estate judging from the interior. 

It was still early, and I didn't know where to find the other residents, so I headed for the trail Jade had told me about. It led off the estate grounds and into a forest quite a ways down. I pulled my coat tighter and before I knew it, my breath was visible in the air. I simply stared down the trail, thinking to myself.

I had never imagined that Jade was a musician, but by the way he treated the piano I would assume it was one of his favorite hobbies. And the Princess was sick this whole time, so perhaps that's why I fell upon the _help wanted _ad in the paper. Jade said something about a servant, and that was all I knew about as far as residents. I didn't know anything about the estate as far as why Natalia owned it, or why she'd chosen to give it to Jade. Maybe I would bring those up at dinner.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder. A smooth voice laughed kindly as I turned in surprise, and I saw a man I'd never seen before. "You must be the new estate owner," he said, but I found I was unable to speak because the man had such engaging eyes. They were a mystifying clear azure the color of the sky and sea. He had soft, short blonde hair and a charming smile. Taller than me, he was probably around twenty years old. I guess what surprised more were his clothes: simple black pants, a white shirt, and a black vest. I would've expected him to be dressed with more extravegance.

My response, or lack thereof, must've disappointed him because his smile faded and he furrowed his brow. Leaning closer to me as if to get a better look, he asked, "Aren't you?"

Discarding my bad manners with the shake of my head, I answered, "Well, Princess Natalia hasn't confirmed it yet, but I applied." As I gave him another brief look, his grin returned. "You must be the servant Jade told me about."

"My name's Guy." He extended a hand to me and I shook it. He was certainly winsome for a servant, but I was thankful for his company anyway. 

"I'm Luke." I had a few things I wanted to ask the servant, but I figured it would be too forward of me to start such conversation with someone I just met.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Luke," he said, and I took his words to heart for a change. Perhaps his affable personality made his words of kindness easier to believe. "How do you like everything so far?"

I paused before answering, trying to think of how I really did like the place. "It's nice. Really spacious, and everything's so rich and refined." Guy nodded in agreement. "Do you like working here?"

"Yeah, I like it a lot! And it'd be nice to have another new face around here!" He flushed with happiness and took my arm, leading me back to the castle. I guess as a servant he was used to ushering people around. "Jade brought in a girl a couple of weeks ago that Natalia really likes. Have you met her?"

I shook my head; I hadn't seen a girl in the building at all besides the Princess herself, and I told him so. Guy shook his head with a smile and said, "Oh, you'll know her when you see her. She's amazing." Choosing to remain secretive about her, he changed the subject. "But there's also this woman I can't stand." 

"Who?"

"You'll know her when you see her, too," he said, his eyes darkening in hate. "She takes away from the beauty of this estate, I think. She's also the sister of the man who owned it all before the Princess." I pulled away from Guy and turned to face him, startled.

"Tell me about that."

"What?"

"Tell me about this estate. Who owned it, and why does Natalia now? And why did she want to give it to Jade?" Guy made some indistinct motion with his hands, but I knew he wanted me to slow down. "Sorry. As the estate owner, I'll need to know a lot about it."

"Everything I know, I learned from Jade. He could tell you more than I could. But I'll get you started anyway." Clearing his throat, he began, "Badaq Oakland owned this estate some years ago. It's said he build it, but I find that hard to believe. He was a connoisseur of art and it was his virtu that really started all this. Surprisingly though, he wasn't an artist. He was a soldier."

We were walking around the estate, Guy leading me through the yard. "He had a wife, deceased, and a daughter, our own Princess Natalia." There was a pause. "Then he went to war and told Jade, a fellow soldier who wasn't going to that particular battle, that if anything happened to him in the war, he wanted the estate to go to his daughter. His sister wanted it badly, and still does, hoping to inherit all this land." His soft blue eyes grew distant and sad, and I felt something in me sink too.

"Badaq died in the war one night, and Jade heard of this. He told Natalia the estate was hers, but she never accepted it until a week later. During that first week, she had cried endlessly and mourned for her father." Another silence, as we approached the garden. "So Natalia owns the estate now, except for Jade's portion, granted to him by Badaq for being such a good friend."

"That's such a sad story," I commented, leaning slightly in the wind. Guy smiled weakly and shrugged, but I knew it hurt him to tell me that. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Well, there's more." He looked over at me and said, "There's another story about the Princess's relationship with Jade, but she could tell you that on her own sometime. Or maybe Jade will fill you in."

Bells sounded. Heavy, strong bells sent sound across the estate grounds, and I checked my watch. "Oh no, I'm late for dinner!" Guy laughed so calmly just then, I felt calm, too.

"Yeah, so am I. Come on." He took my arm again and led me back to the castle. "Then again, they wouldn't ring those bells if everyone was already in the dining room. Let's just say we're _almost _late." He held the door open for me and I stepped inside, though I was totally clueless as to where to go next. The servant guided me through a hallway and within seconds, I was standing in the dining room. The table that had been so empty earlier was now filled with lustrous dishes and platters.

Although the smell was tantalizing, Guy gave me a look and started setting out plates and silverware. "Don't forget to wash your hands." I nodded and left the room, but stopped as soon as I was out, unaware of where I was going. I could hear Guy laugh shortly again from the dining room. "I guess you don't know where to go, do you?" he chirped playfully, setting his work down. "I'll go with you."

"Thanks," I said. Guy was amiably cheerful and good-natured for a servant, and I was gracious for his advice.

**Abrupt ending, I know. Well, tell me what you thought. I'll have ch. 2 up in no time.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Dinner was about to start, and Guy was leading me down another hallway after we'd both washed our hands. I took a moment to look again at the flourishing decor of the place, and I looked at the door in silence. If this house was a quiet as it seemed, there probably wouldn't be a lot of people eating dinner with us today.

We arrived back in the dining room, where Jade was. He turned to us and said, "The Princess is not feeling well, so it will just be us for dinner." Guy nodded and took a seat, and I did the same. Jade sat across from both of us. I had thought this would be a good oppurtunity to ask questions, but Guy would probably think I was nosy, and it was still my first day. So I remained quiet and ate.

The food was the best I had ever eaten, but I wasn't rich and usually ate what I made. I didn't expect the food to be this good every night, but it was very filling. What surprised me was that Guy ate at the dinner table, whereas servants more commonly eat elsewhere. With such a small house, though, it must be unsettling to eat alone.

Flavorful meats and fresh fruits, pungent spices and drinks unlike anything I had tasted before. The food was more delectable than that of the finest hotel, when really this estate was as a hotel is to me. I was only touring and spending the night at this place, and yet they treated me like a special guest. I suppose I was to them. 

The sumptuous meal made me wonder who it was that cooked it. Jade, Guy, and the Princess were the only one's I knew lived in the house. I did see guards outside the gates, but they were too far to be important. Perhaps Natalia had hired a chef, or maybe I didn't know of some people yet. My thoughts went back to the girl Guy had talked about, as well as the woman he despised. Did they live here or did he just know them? Maybe they were away.

Taking another sip from the argent goblet, I felt some kind of guilt for all the services I was being provided with. I didn't have to pay a thing, and Jade had allowed me one whole month of observation. I felt like I should pay him something, but he couldn't possibly have any need for my money. I guess the least I could do was take the job.

"Luke?" I looked up to see Guy giving me a worried stare. "Sorry, you were being a little quiet."

I blinked in confusion. Perhaps there was a conversation going on without me, but he and Jade had seemed just as quiet as I had. I looked over at Jade, who was silent and seemed very deep in thought. The intensity of his eyes told me he hadn't said anything the entire time. As I wondered what he was thinking of, Guy stood and collected all the plates. "Well, Luke. You can go take a bath if you like, which is customary after dinner around here. Or you can head to your bedroom, on the top floor, second door on the right. Jade might have shown it to you in the tour."

"Thanks," I said, standing and pushing my chair in gently. 

I headed to one of the bathrooms and took the advised bath, which was heavenly as everything else had been. I was exhausted from all the day's touring, and the calescent water and fresh scented soaps cleansed away all the worry I had about the place. In just a few hours, I discovered a beautiful mansion and its history.

I got out and wrapped one of the velvety soft towels around my waist, then used a smaller one for my hair. Downstairs, I could hear the doorbell ring and someone answer it after a pause. Draining the bathtub, I started for the door and made my way to my bedroom. The halls were quiet, and a nearby clocked filled the area with small ticking sounds.

The door closed and I looked over the railing to see Guy at the door with a large suitcase. He looked up at me and said, "Hey, your stuff's here." I was about to go down and get it but instead, Guy brought it to me. "You can just pile your clothes somewhere if it needs to be washed and someone will get it," he said vaguely.

Again, I was thankful for their services. I twisted the auric doorknob that led to my room and entered. The guest room was very nice, almost as large as a master bedroom. Color themed heated oranges and browns, it was cozy and roomy. I took a seat on the apricot bedspread and breathed in the cinnamon fragrance of the nearby candles, amazingly already burning. 

I undressed and blew out the candles, watching the slate smoke curl into the air. Night fell quickly and the moon was still low, shining through the large east window. The lights went out and I pulled the sheets up to my chin, savoring the warmth. The house was silent enough to be considered empty, and I fell asleep instantly.

The next morning, the sky blushed with the rising pink sun and the azure dawn sky was dappled with dots of clouds. I pushed the sheets off and showered, but when I returned to my room, everything was picked up, and even the bed was made.

I dressed quickly and raced downstairs, hoping not to be late for breakfast, but I stopped short as I reached the base of the stairs. A low, soft sound was coming from somewhere in the building, randomly sounding in notes both short and long. The tune was unfamiliar, but every sound complimented the next, and I followed it deeper through the house.

It grew louder and louder, until finally, it was on the other side of a door who's room I had forgotten. Still soft and timid, the song beckoned me, and I pushed the door open.

Of course. It was my favorite room, the large, expansive white one with the wall-sized panel of glass. Cool, muted notes danced to the ceiling and back to the floor, plunging dramatically, a sound as graceful as a hum. The room was blinding as the sunlight poured through the window, illuminating the entire white surface. The piano was invisible again, so I figured it was covered. Then where was the sound coming from?

I journeyed across the floor, my boots creating a clamor that seemed to disturb the melody. But the sound continued, gentle, enchanting me. The song was stirring and mesmerizing, the gleam of daylight still hiding the source. Finally, to my left, I found the producer of the brimming notes and flowing song.

A beautiful woman was posed before a grand harp, her delicate fingers tracing along the strings to produce the sound. Her eyes were closed, her posture confident and straight. 

She looked around my age, wearing a strange white, silk dress that camoflauged her with the rest of the atmosphere. It fell well below her feet and piled onto the floor like the bottom of a waterfall, clinging to every contour of her body. It was sleeveless and had a low neckline that hung in a perfect U-shape before the folds fell around her waist and onto her lap. She had long, silken brown hair that was shaded with a pale, milky value. Every wisp of her hair cascaded flawlessly down, by her face, or on her shoulder, or curling into a ring on her stool. She had me captivated just as her music had.

My presence went unknown as her song continued, and I was careful not to get too close, as one would a frightened animal. Dexterous fingers weaved around each thin pillar of a string, plucking the selected ones gingerly to form a vibrating sound. The song, the first song I had heard in all my life, was beautiful. Her eyes were closed as if she were asleep, and concentration wasn't apparent, though I knew she was deep in her song. 

Two fingers of her right hand flicked the last string, ending in a pleasant chord that rang through the room. I was still so captured, I hardly noticed her open her eyes and sigh. When I did come back to my senses, I smiled and said, "Good job." She ignored me however, and kept right on staring at the floor. I stepped closer, for perhaps she hadn't heard me. "What's your name?"

Again, she didn't respond, and I moved closer. "Hey-" I was about to put a hand on her shoulder, but she whirled around at the sight of me, fear in her eyes. I didn't get a good look at her face, because before I knew what was happening, the girl was running across the room, leaving her instrument unattended. "Wait!" I called, but she didn't look back, only ran straight for the door and even left it open in her hurry. The soundlessness of her run notified me that she wore no shoes, which I found peculiar. I, too, ran for the door and caught sight of her long brown hair streaming behind her as she took a turn.

I gave up my chase and went to the dining room. Birds chirped merrily outside and the morning was fresh and bright still. I smelled our breakfast and turned into the dining room, where I saw the lavishly full table yet again. Guy gave me one of his trademark grins and said good morning, but I didn't respond.

On the other side of the table stood Jade, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. The girl on the harp was clinging to him, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his arm, still staring at me with wide-eyed fear. "You're late," Jade said flatly, expecting me to explain what I had done to frighten the girl. No doubt she had told him that she saw me.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely, bowing my head. "And to you, too, miss," I directed to her. Her expression didn't budge, and Jade had to pry her off carefully.

"She can't hear you."

I looked up and must have looked very confused then, for I was. "Excuse me? You mean-"

"She's deaf." Jade's eyes grew icy and my jaw dropped. How could someone deaf play such beautiful music? I guess that would explain why she didn't hear me, but it was still too hard for me to believe. 

I took a seat as my mind grew exhausted with the unfathomable details, and Guy laid my food out for me. Jade took the girl's hands and looked at me. "Luke, this is Tear Grants. She's a resident of this household, too. I looked for her yesterday but I suppose she was in her room the entire time." Walking the frightened girl over to me, he added, "She doesn't like strangers."

I stood again so as not to seem rude, and Jade guided Tear's hand to mine. He didn't have to say anything, obviously, but they looked at each other for the longest time, exchanging expressions, and leaving me confused. I soon inferred this was their mode of communication. Finally, Tear looked at me and smiled. Her smile was brilliant, but this one was very temperate. Her eyes were a smokey blue, lovely but hazy, as if covered by mist. Her skin was pale like porcelain and soft, the fine texture also warm in my own hand. Jade looked at each of us. "She says she's sorry she ran away from you, and that she would like to be friends."

Relieved, I told him, "Tell her I said I'm sorry for surprising her."

With a bit of a smirk, Jade walked away. "You can tell her that."

I was confused, but didn't expect to leave the girl without an apology. So I bowed my head as I had before and closed my eyes. I didn't know if she got the message, because her expression remained mild. Finally, she pulled away from me and sat down next to Jade. I sat down, Guy next to me, and started eating. "Nice, isn't she?" Guy asked, and it took a second for me to respond.

"So she's a mute, too?" Guy nodded. "Yeah, she's really nice. Why does she dress that way though?"

Guy shrugged. "I dunno." I guess I was the only one that found it to be a little different. "What did you do anyway that set her off like that?"

Blushing slightly, I started to explain. "Ah, well I was listening to her play this morning in the big white room and I guess I caught her off guard. She just started running as soon as she saw me." Shaking my head, I added, "I didn't know she was deaf, so it was an accident."

"I understand," Guy said. "She's such a talented musician, huh?" I couldn't even begin to explain how much I loved her music, or music in general since hearing that song, and so after a short pause, I let it all out on Guy.

Guy was an amazing listener. During the whole meal, he listened to me talk about everything and never made me feel uncomfortable or like I was rambling (even though I was). Once the meal was over, Tear gave me a look and giggled, then started for another room. I gave Jade an asking look.

"She wants you to follow her," he said over whatever he was reading, and I thanked him before running off after her. 

I was led back to the room with the window, where she was already sitting beside her harp again. I took a seat on the floor next to her, and she smiled down at me fondly. To my surprise, she made a small motion with one of her hands, and I merely blinked. She motioned again, and I was forced to say, "I-I'm sorry, I don't understand..." I shook my head to help clarify, and she nodded and turned to her harp. I hoped someday I would be able to communicate with her.

She started a new song, this one slower and simpler. Her fingers strummed this song, rather than plucked individually. Still, her fingers rushed across, creating chords that were so harmonious, I immediately felt ashamed that she could not hear them. How could someone who couldn't hear be so interested in music? I felt lucky to be able to hear this song, and from then on, I saw Tear in a whole new light.

She stilled the strings with her hand and stood, curtsying to me with a smile. I clapped despite her inability to know how thankful I was and she helped me to my feet. Looking out the window, she tilted her head and me and held my hand. To my surprise, I knew that she was asking me to go on a walk with her. I nodded and we headed outside, but I was still in awe at how I managed to figure that out. So that was how Jade and her managed to communicate. I couldn't describe it, I just _knew_.

Outside, the air was crisp and light, yet cool. As we walked, Tear looked at a certain part of the mansion, then at me with a raised eyebrow. For some reason, I figured she was implying something about Jade. I looked to the sky, then thought to myself. I wondered if during this month I would ever get the chance to hear Jade play something on the piano. He had told me some other time, but perhaps he never would. I hoped I would get to hear something from him. He seemed like such a serious man, with a passion for nothing but war. It would make him more human to me if he cared for something like music.

Evidently, Tear read all my thoughts through my face, because she nodded emphatically in agreement. She pulled me into the garden and we admired the flowers until I finally sent her a look that asked what she thought of him. I hoped she had interpreted it correctly, for she blushed the color of the surrounding carnations and a sly smile crept across her face.

I was shocked when she embraced me lovingly and wrapped her slender arms around my neck, resting them on my shoulders. I felt myself blush too, not knowing what she would do next. Her soft lips grazed over mine and I was too drawn in to stop her from kissing me. She placed her lips on mine and added a gentle pressure, taking my mind from the garden at that moment and sending it somewhere else.

Was this the answer to my question? Was Tear in love with Jade and she had understood me correctly? She pulled away and gave me a lazy look through her foggy eyes, smiling warmly. My hand had found its way to her hip and I pulled back, stepping away from her. She looked more confused than offended, but I couldn't keep from reaching up to touch my lips. Tear...in love with him? I suppose it wasn't all that hard to believe, she did run to him when she fled from me.

I gave her a kind smile and walked her back to the house, her bare feet noiseless against the dew-covered grass. I had been in silence too long and needed to get back to Guy to talk about this. Inside, Tear and I parted ways, and again I heard a strange sound coming from the white room. I rushed there, hoping not to miss it if it were Jade, since it couldn't possibly be Tear. But when I arrived, the room was empty, and the sound gone.

"Looking for something?" came a voice behind me. I whirled around to see Jade, giving me one of those looks that made me feel like I'd done something stupid. 

"No, just thought I heard something." When I looked up at Jade again, he was staring into the room, an enigmatic look in his eyes. I closed the door once he looked at me again. It was hard to think of him the same way after my meeting with Tear.

"Something seems to be bothering you," he said gravely, walking away. I followed him. 

"Uh, yeah. Maybe a little." We entered a room I'd already forgotten about, with the maps and the globe. "It's only my second day here and I feel like I've learned a lot. I can't imagine staying here a month." Jade turned to me sharply.

"Are you saying you've already made up your mind?"

"N-no! I'm just saying-"

"You're bored?" I wouldn't have said anything had I known Jade would react like this, but it was too late now. "Or are you saying you want to go home?"

I heaved an impatient sigh. "I'm just saying the place is nice, and if there's anything you'd like to tell me about it, I'd be happy to hear it." Jade seemed to calm down and he gave one of the smaller globes a spin.

"There's a lot you will learn about this place and the people who live here," he said mysteriously, his eyes avoiding my gaze. "I may be the one to tell you a few things about the Princess, or the servant, or perhaps more about myself." The globe stopped and Jade finally looked at me. "As of right now, however, just enjoy the place."

He walked past me quickly, and I stayed in the room a while, pondering what he'd said. It never occured to me that perhaps everyone had their own reason for staying here, or working here. Tear, Guy, the Princess herself. They all must have had a reason to choose such an expansive, glorious house. And to live together, they must all be friends.

The rest of the day wore on quickly and quietly, no more music filling the halls. Evening was upon me before I knew it and I walked past the large white piano room one more time. To my surprise, Jade and Guy were outside the doors, talking. They saw me and fell silent.

"Hey, Luke!" Guy greeted, raising a hand. Jade only glared at me coldly. "We were just talking about this room here." Guy waved at the doors to imply which room.

"Yeah, it's a very pretty room," I agreed, though none of us were looking into it. "But it's the size of a ballroom and near totally empty! Are you ever going to furnish it?"

"Its solitude is part of the beauty of its structure," Jade commented, and Guy nodded. "If it were cluttered, the sound of the instruments would not waver in the ceilings and walls the way it does."

"I guess you're right." I was about to add the fact that it was painfully bright in the mornings, but Guy started sooner.

"The Performance Room is really what makes this building even more unique. I think it was intended for a ballroom to begin with actually, only with the curtains drawn." I paused at this, looking at the floor. "What?" Guy asked.

"Performance Room?"

"That's what it's called," Jade said matter-of-factly. "Now you two should go to bed. Have a good sleep." He walked off, and Guy and I exchanged glances.

"He kinda gets on my nerves," Guy said, and I laughed. "Good night!"

"'Night." We walked separate ways and I found my room in the dimly lit hallway, falling onto my bed and into sleep.

It had been a long day, filled with discovery and another new face. I hoped I would get to see more of Tear and also learn more about the house. It was still only my second day, as I had told Jade, but as far as I could tell, I did want to be the caretaker of this house. Maybe I would need to better understand music before I got that chance though.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you reviewers; one and all. (Though those are practically the same). I really appreciate every supporting word you've put into this story. I'll try my hardest to get this finished, but don't be surprised if there's a long, mysterious gap after chapter 5. (That's as far as I've gotten) Just hang in there!**

_Chapter Three_

It was the beginning of my third or fourth day there, and everything was still going smoothly. Today I made plans to talk to the Princess about her life and why she chose this place. I remembered Guy's story about Badaq, the previous owner, but I was still surprised that Natalia had not abandoned this place. In a house with so much music around, I found it strange that she was never out there listening to it.

Breakfast was as interesting as ever, Guy, Jade, and Tear all sitting around the large table with me. The food was delightul and Jade seemed to be in an especially good mood that morning, striking conversation and evoking a small giggle from Tear every now and then. When his eyes met mine, I got a strange sensation that something was going on that I didn't know about. But his glance left me and turned back to his food, and he never looked my way again.

Shortly after the meal, I headed to the bathroom to take a bath, since I had nothing else to do but talk to Natalia. I figured I would do that in the afternoon and spend my morning reviewing what I already knew about this place, and what I had to ask.

I turned the faucet off after the bath tub was filled with steaming water and undressed, the heat of the bath already filling the room. Slipping into the hot water, I let out a sigh and felt myself soak. The water sent a tingling surge along my scalp as I lowered my hair into the water and closed my eyes.

Badaq Oakland owned the estate, but gave it to his daugter Natalia after his death in the war. The house was more like a museum because of Badaq's love of fine objects and art. Natalia was ill for some unknown reason, and I really didn't know how Jade entered the picture, except being a friend to Badaq. Guy no doubt signed up for the job of servant, and I remembered he said that Jade had brought Tear to this estate, as if to have Natalia adopt her.

Then I remembered Guy had also said something about Badaq's sister and her dream to obtain the estate. I wondered what she was like, someone who would want to take all this beauty from the house. So I decided I would ask Natalia about her love of music and how it came about, as well as her illness, perhaps. After all, if I saw her ad in the paper, she must have been hoping to get a new caretaker. And I might even ask why she chose to adopt Tear, and how she felt about each resident.

Steam clouded the mirror as I opened my eyes, and more time had passed than I thought. I quickly washed my hair and got out, then dried off and pulled the tub drain. My hair would dry on its own and I shut off the light and headed to my room to get dressed.

Once there, a powerful aroma filled my lungs as I breathed in the scent of the candles that were strangely lit. No one could have been in my room, but it was clean and the curtains were pulled aside, exposing the light of day to the fire-tinted room. The already orange hues were illuminated with the flames of the candles and everything was organized perfectly, which was not how I'd left it.

Still, I didn't trouble myself with it and got dressed, combing my hair to look more presentable. I hung up my towel and left my room. Starting down the hallway, I weaved my way around the house for a while. No one was in sight, as usual, but this moment felt heavier, as if no one was even in the building. I entered one of the many sculpture rooms and took a long look around.

I must have loitered longer than I had expected, because the next thing I knew, the clock struck eleven. The grandfather clock's chorus chimed through the empty halls. I had a lot of time to waste before I even planned to talk to Natalia, so I headed back to my room.

The whole place seemed to grow more boring, seeing that I had nothing to do except walk around, eat, and ask questions. But I'd lived my life with boring things, considering my old job was to ask questions to people about how they felt. I still wished I could make some kind of discovery or find out some lost secret. Maybe I would when I talked to the Princess this afternoon.

I arrived at my room again and opened the door. The room was still filled with the fragrance of cinnamon and vanilla, and rays of sunlight were streaming in the east window. I lied down on my bed and sighed, thinking for once about nothing. The smell of the candles lulled me to sleep and I found myself in a dream I could not very well escape.

* * *

The sound of wind rustling tree leaves stirred me from my slumber. Blinking myself awake, I found the room to be very cool and less stuffy. So I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and looked to the right to see my floor-to-ceiling window was open, leading off to a small balcony. The curtains strayed outside the room, being pulled by the soft wind and the candle flames danced in the breeze that entered my room.

I rose from the bed and stepped out onto the stone balcony. It was a pleasantly cool day, the sunlight seeming to warm everything around it and the wind seeming to chill everything it touched. For an autumn day, it was surprisingly warm, and I knew it would continue to get hotter as the day went on. That is, I didn't know the current time, so I couldn't really say.

Thankfully, the clock bellowed out its deep song and chimed one o'clock. So I'd slept for two hours. Now would be a good time to see Natalia; I'd spent enough time loafing off. Starting out of my room, I made sure to close the window-like door and blow out all the candles, all of which were burnt nearly all the way.

The door closed with a click and the house was still empty. But I remembered where the Princess's room was and started in that direction. I found her room and knocked on the door, but no answer came.

Waiting just a moment, I knocked louder. "Princess Natalia? It's Luke." Still nothing. I decided she must be out or away, so I left and decided to come back later.

"Strange, I thought she would be too weak to go anywhere," I said to myself, starting down the stairs to maybe ask Guy where she'd gone. Heading in some unknown direction, my ears picked up a sound. Not just a sound, but a song.

I immediately walked toward the Performance Room, hoping never to miss another song that filled this household. The sound did indeed grow louder, a terribly sad and stunning song playing. The notes were sometimes heavy with feeling, and sometimes fleet with kindness. I couldn't distinguish the instrument, so it could not have been the harp. Wasting no more time, I gently opened to the door and stepped inside.

At first my eyes saw the brilliance of light against the polished white floors and walls, sunlight beaming in golden streaks. Everything seemed to glimmer in the luminance and the sound echoed gorgeously through the room.

I saw, quite a ways away, the great piano was exposed, it's blackness contrasted with the sheer radiance of the room. What I saw next made me stop walking and my jaw dropped in surprise.

Seated before the piano was none other than Jade, playing the piano like I had always visioned. I stared in awe from a distance and it took me a while to see he was not alone. Lying atop the piano was Tear, her magnificent silk gown cascading off the piano top. She was on her stomach, her arms crossed with her head resting on them. She faced Jade and looked so relaxed, I thought she might have been asleep. Her hair fell to nearly to the piano's keys, but Jade didn't seem to mind at all.

The song I heard was so striking I could not even begin to say how I felt. I could only say that the way Jade's hands pressed the white keys produced a sound that made my heart ache. A sad melody was all I could think of when he stung at the higher keys, and every chord was in perfect harmony with the song.

His fingers that usually wore gloves now swept across the piano freely and gracefully, dancing to the song they created. As I neared closer, I could see Tear was looking down at the keys, a blank, thoughtful stare in her eyes. Jade's eyes, however, were closed.

Every effortless movement was continuous and well-versed, each tone floating to the next. The tune fell and rised again, beauty in its sound. Somehow I could see Jade's expression grow more difficult as he played a part of the song so painfully moving, Tear closed her eyes and pressed her lips together tightly. My heart jumped at the music's intent, creating something that made me shiver.

Agile hands continued to turn and his fingers fell on each selected key as the song slowed down, the music left in silent suspension for a moment. When he picked up again, it was quieter and coming to an end. Low sounds left more gaps as it continued to get slower and slower. I stepped closer yet again.

His left hand swiftly rolled from chord to chord, his right still pressing the keys gently. I looked at Tear, but the shifting of my eyes made me aware, suddenly, that I was crying. I was amazed that the third song I had ever heard in my life had brought me to tears, but it had. I looked down at my trembling hands, and up at Jade again just as the song came to its finale.

His back was to me, but I had no idea why Tear had not seen me. Perhaps she had been so involved in the song that I went ignored, just as before. He depressed each ending note so gently, the sound that ended up resonating through the room was just the right volume, the chord's beauty wavering in echo for what felt like minutes.

Jade's red eyes finally opened, so filled with emotion that I had never seen him with before. Tear turned to him with a smile and closed her eyes, saying something I could not understand. They sat in silent communication while I wiped my eyes hurriedly, then approached the two, within talking distance. It took me a moment to see that Tear's expressive blue eyes were not crying, and she had been there through all of that. Perhaps I was just moved because I had never heard something so marvelous before.

"That was..." I started, and the two turned to me abruptly. Although I felt ashamed for interrupting, I finished, "Amazing." The smile on my lips expressed my gratitude and Jade stood from his stool as Tear sat up, letting her long legs dangle off the piano.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. That was the first song I ever learned," Jade explained, and I was so shocked that he would tell me that instead of something rude and stern. Tear nodded once and turned to Jade. To my surprise, he closed the board back over the keys and offered a hand to help Tear off the structure. I didn't think he would end as soon as he saw me, but perhaps he always limited his time to one song only.

"So what brings you here?" Jade asked, he and Tear lifting the grand sheet back up to cover the masterpiece.

I was going to say the sound of his music had brought me, which would be more honest, but instead I replied, "I was wondering where the Princess was. I've been meaning to speak to her."

Tear jumped up at this and clapped her hands together, looking at Jade excitedly and grinning. Amazingly, she must've understood me. Jade looked back at her and she did a hand motion, to which the man nodded. "Tear says that Natalia should be in the garden. Sometimes she goes out there to relax." Looking at me with the coldness returning to his eyes, he said, "You may go find her if you want."

I nodded and said "thanks", making my way out of the room. Had that been why Jade was in such a good mood this morning? I couldn't tell, so I just started for the garden once outside and let the song fill my head.

The weather outside was unusually sunny and warm, as I had predicted earlier. I retraced my steps to the garden that I had taken days before and found myself once again at the inviting gates of the floral paradise. I stepped in and wound my way through the intricate pass, walking by roses and tulips of romantic red, lilies and daises of pure white, and morning glories of Prussian blue. A rare sea green butterfly flew past me, black streaks across its wings. This place was so peaceful, and so calm, I felt immediately at ease.

The soles of my boots shifted on the dirt that was strewn onto the path, leaving brown smears. To have so many flowers growing the near midst of autumn, the place must be very well taken care of. I didn't know who attended to the garden, but I assumed it was Guy since he was the servant.

I turned back around to face the estate building, trying to find the large window that was in the Performance Room. But I couldn't see it, and started walking again, thinking of that gorgeous song that had so recently brought me to tears. During my thinking, I fell upon the garden center, entering from the back path so I saw the backside of the twisted-straw chair. However, someone was seated in the chair this time, unaware so far of my presence.

"Excuse me," I said quietly, walking around to face them. They looked up at me, and I saw that it was the Princess. She was wearing a canary yellow sun dress, quite different from her usually formal attire. Her feet were bare, but I saw a pair of sandals pushed beneath the chair. Her face was flushed with the warmth of the outdoors and her headband was now white with a small peony on the side of it. Wearing a gentle smile, the first one I'd seen since my arrival, she nodded her greeting.

"Good to see you, Luke." Her voice was still thin with her illness and her exhaustion could be seen in her clouded hazel eyes. "Nice day, isn't it?"

Looking up at the sky, I replied, "Yes, it's very nice out." _So that chair is hers. She must come out here a lot._ "I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about yourself, and this estate." Natalia turned her empty eyes away and I cleared my throat so she wouldn't avoid the topic. "If you were ever to consider me as the new owner, I wouldn't want to be in the dark about these types of things." I bowed humbly so as not to destroy my chances.

"Alright, ask away," the Princess said, not without some annoyance in her tone.

So I began. "How did your love of music and fine objects of art come about?" Natalia shifted.

"Jade Curtiss brought music into my life, and our servant Guy Cecil kept it there," she answered so vaguely I nearly slumped in disappointment. She must've seen this because a kind smile crept across her lips and she continued. "Do you want the whole story? It's a long one."

"I've got time."

Sitting up straight, the blonde woman began to tell me her story. "As you know, Badaq, my father, owned this estate, went to war, and I inherited it." I nodded, surprised that she knew of my knowledge of this. "Well, before all that happened, my father was fighting in a war quite near our old home. This was back when I was about thirteen or fourteen years old. I was on the battlefield, and as a daughter of a soldier, I had responsibilities, too."

_Six years ago, on a battlefield on the outskirts of a small village_

_Rain came down in torrents, and the sun had long since set. Soldiers on horseback stomped to the frontlines, and a young, blonde girl stood back. Determination was fiercely present on her rain-soaked face, and her blue dress was now drenched to near black. "I want those cannons loaded and ammunition out of the rain! Let's move, soldiers!" she cried with a voice loud enough to be the army's commander. Everyone heeded her directions, knowing she was the daughter of their best soldier, Badaq._

_A gunshot rang into the black of night, and a dimly lit torch under an unstable tarp flickered light across the girl's face. A soldier screamed in pain and fell dead off his horse, which ran ceaselessly into the dark. Natalia saw this and turned her head sharply to the side, slapping her wet hair onto her frozen cheek. "We lost another one, get out there!" she ordered to a resting soldier, who sprinted to the field. She followed him a ways, ducking as a cannon went off._

_Picking up the dead man's sword, she slashed it at a man with both her hands, who fell back in pain. The downpour dulled her senses and every lit torch seemed to blur in the humidity. With another strangled shout, she drove the sword through the abdomen of her enemy soldier, twisting it to the side. His struggles ceased and she held the sword in place, breathing heavily. The clang of crashing metal was heard and Badaq's angered cry filled the air. "F-Father!"_

_She couldn't see him through the black sky and gray-streaked rain, but another opponent charged at her. The girl screamed and fell back, barely dodging the sword slash. She tried to pick up a wooden plank to strike him with, but it was saturated and far too heavy for her weak, aching arms. The man brought his sword down on her just as she rolled to the side, collecting mud on her dress. _

Natalia winced in pain as I listened carefully. "I was terrified, there's no doubt. But despite how close I was to death, I was still saved." I think she was surprised at my interest in the story, because as it was going now, it had nothing to do with the estate. She knew this, and I knew this, so she went on.

_A horse came galloping through the night like scissors through silk and the man turned in surprise. Natalia stood to get a better look, but shouted in surprise as the rider's arm swooped down and picked her up, carrying her back towards the town. She didn't know if it was an enemy or not, so she struggled endlessly, yet uselessly._

_"Put me down!" she demanded, prying at their firm grip. "Do you hear me? I said put me-"_

_"This is for your own good," they replied icily, the horse going through the town and surprisingly, in the direction of the girl's house. When they stopped just outside her door, the cloaked figure set Natalia down gently and knocked on the door. It was immediately answered by Natalia's mother, who gasped in such shock and gratitude that she leaned on the doorframe for support._

_"Natalia!" she cried, embracing the girl with tears in her eyes. "I was so worried about you!" Her mother looked up and stood, a brilliant smile on her face at her old friend. "Thank you so much, Jade."_

Natalia looked at my astonishment and laughed kindly. "So Jade left that night and life went on as normal. I'm not sure how the battle turned out, but my father returned the next morning and everything was fine."

"Jade was on the battlefield...and he saved you?" Everything was suddenly making sense, and this was only half the story. So that's how the two met, that would explain Jade's military status as a friend of Badaq and his family, but...what about music?

"Now let me tell you about what happened a couple of weeks later," she went on after nodding to my question. "There had been no wars, perhaps a month or two had gone by, and my father asked me to go and thank Jade for saving me. So he sent me to Jade's house and that's where it happened."

_The girl tentatively approached the front door, and found it to be open. "Mister Curtiss?" her voice echoed as her footsteps treaded lightly across the marble floor. "Hello?" She figured he wasn't there, but searched further into the house anyway. Then she heard a sound, and it was piano, playing a song that she had never heard before. The sound was so enchanting that she ended up walking all the way to the back room to find it._

_Jade was sitting, playing a slow and peaceful, yet happy song on the grand instrument. His eyes were closed and he was smiling pleasantly. The girl only needed take one step closer and his eyes opened, looking at her as if he had been expecting her. He went on with his song, and Natalia drew close enough to hear each tone within the piano's body. She listened in wonder, placing a curious hand on the shiny piece to feel the vibrations. _

_Soon, the song was over and Natalia cheered for the musical welcome. "I wish I could play piano," she said longingly, turning her gaze downward. Jade tilted his head and gave her an asking look._

_"Well I could give you lessons if your father would allow me to," he said, and the girl silently celebrated. She knew her father loved music just as much as she did, and before she knew it, she was playing her future through her head, becoming a famous musician. She was so caught up in her enthusiam that she forgot to thank Jade._

"So I learned to play the piano, and it was a dream come true," Natalia said, gazing reminiscingly across the flowers. With a light chuckle, she added, "Don't worry, I did eventually get around to thanking him."

I nodded slowly. "That would explain a lot. So that's why you moved here? To be with all this music?"

"That's right. As long as I had a piano, I could be happy. I played it all the time, and Jade came over quite frequently to help me. I love this estate, and my father did too. He paid quite a sum of money for it, and I'm so thankful I was able to inherit it."

"So why don't you ever play anymore?" I asked, and suddenly, the Princess's eyes grew very distant. I clasped my hands and bowed my head apologetically. "Ah, that's right. Your illness." Natalia's head snapped back to me, utter surprise on her face.

"How did you know about that?" she asked accusingly, though more in fearful shock than rudeness.

I shrugged and figured I might as well tell the truth. "It's just in the way your carry yourself. And your eyes..." I looked deep into the sad pools that I knew were filled with anguish. Her dream was crushed because of her health. "How did you get sick?"

With the wave of her hand, she slipped her sandals back on and stood uneasily. "That's enough story-telling for today," she commented, implying to me that there was another lengthly story behind her sickness. I offered an arm to her and she took it. Together, we walked back to the estate, alive and glimmering with beauty of music and pride.

**A/N: I know the beginning was slow, but this chapter is probably the most important one so far. Please review if you read this chapter! I hate it when people read and then leave without saying anything.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

The next day, just after the sun had risen, I walked around the estate grounds. Breakfast would be ready soon. I strolled around the misty lawn of wet grass, making my way through the gray vapor to the black, wrought-iron gate. The temperature had dropped a little, so I pulled my coat tighter with one hand and used the other to feel the icy metal of the coal black gate. I looked up and saw the backwards reading of _Carmen House_.

I jumped slightly as a dozen ebony crows fluttered from their nearby tree, cawing into the distance. I heard a hushed sound, quieter than a whisper as the birds flew away, almost like a distant waterfall. Leaning closer to the gate, I strained my hearing to figure out what it was. Ghosts were a ridiculous concept to me, but I found myself haunted by Badaq's spirit in those quiet minutes.

The bells sounded, ringing across the forest with their call muffled by the cold film of fog. I started back, hoping for the thought of the ghost to leave as the foreboding onyx gate stared silently at me.

Once inside, I hung my coat and breathed hot air onto my chilly hands. The bathroom sink's steaming water burned my hands soothingly and I left for the dining room. To my surprise, seated with us that morning was Princess Natalia, dressed once again in her elegantly laced gown and decorated by exquisite jewelry. Jade and Tear were seated on the other side, and Guy just finished setting my meal down. "Good morning, Luke," he greeted as warmly as ever. I nodded tiredly and sat down, and the servant soon joined me. "What were you doing outside?"

"Just taking a look around." I decided against mentioning the eerie sound I had witnessed, drifting from the subject as I started on my breakfast. It dawned on me that I really wouldn't want to be the caretaker of a haunted house, even accompanied by such interesting residents. But no one had said anything about the place being _haunted_, as I had put it. Maybe I was just imagining things.

So I knew how Natalia and Jade came to live at this mansion, but not Tear or Guy. After the meal, I followed Jade to one of the many sculpture rooms. "Hey, Jade." I got his attention and he turned around, a placid look in his oxblood red eyes as defensive as walls. "I heard from Guy that you found Tear somewhere and brought her to this place." He nodded absently. "Well, could you tell me a little about her? It's strange to me that someone with no hearing or voice could be so interested in music."

Jade didn't respond for a while and merely stared at me in that way that made me feel like I'd done something horribly wrong. He finally turned to face the curtain-drawn window and let out a small sigh. "Tear was playing her harp for a hotel lounge one evening. I was on military business and decided to stay at that hotel for the night." He turned so I saw the profile of his face, but the room was dark despite the time of day and I couldn't read his expression. "As I was talking to an old friend of mine in the lounge, I heard her music and found it to be quite extraordinary. At such a young age, she was most proficient in that talent.

"Tear finished and stepped off the stage, away from her instrument, and that's where I caught her and asked her about her skill. However, she only stared at me blankly and made a small gesture that symbolized that she could not hear." Jade paused for a moment and I looked down at the floor. I didn't know how long ago all this had happened, but it was possible Tear could've been deaf since birth. That would be hard to believe, because then she couldn't play music.

"I later heard that Tear was an orphan with no place to stay. I had time and money I could spend on her, so I adopted her. Then I figured out that not only could she not hear, but she could not speak, read, or write. That made communication even more difficult. Over time, we developed a language between us that only we can comprehend. It's a lot like sign language only less complicated." Jade ran a gloved finger along the outline of an ashen gray statue.

I stood and asked, "So how did Tear come to meet Natalia?"

"Natalia owned her estate at the time and I listened as Tear became more and more comfortable with playing her instrument. I figured with her passion for music, which was near identical to Natalia's, she would fit right in at the estate. So I took her there to meet Natalia, and the princess took to her immediately. Guy also found her talent very interesting." I knew Jade wasn't finished talking, but he checked his watch and walked out of the room. I followed him.

"Then do you know how she became so good at it?" I asked, taking long steps to keep up with Jade.

"No, but she never went to school as a child, so perhaps she had nothing to do but play her instrument. I don't know much about her childhood. Nobody does." We arrived at the Performance Room, and Jade opened the door. Sound instantly filled my ears.

Tear was again on her harp, seated with professional posture and her fingers dancing gracefully across the strings. It didn't take me long to find that she was playing the same song that Jade had played on his piano the other day. This really puzzled me, because Tear could not have heard the song. How could she have learned it, and much less become so perfect at it?

Her fingertips plucked gently at the longer strings for a low and faint tone. I watched in awe as each selected string vibrated in harmony with the song. The low strings' drone and the high strings' trill moved together to bring forth the song that I thought symbolized the friendship of Jade and her. Every move was syncopated perfectly and in such constant time that it sounded like a recording, and yet the echo throughout the Performance Room was so vivid, it was unmistakeably Tear playing.

I turned to Jade in confusion at this. "So if she's deaf, how can she hear that music? How does she know she's playing it right?"

Jade did not take his eyes off the girl and simply stood in grave witness. "She feels the music. With her heart." He turned to me, his expression blank and serious. "With her soul." I found this very hard to believe, but I needed only look at Tear's peaceful face and dexterous hands to see that he was right.

She dragged her hands across the strings, slowing down as the song reached the end, just as Jade had. Pulling her hand away briskly, she streamed the other across the instrument. The sound continued like a brook of melody, until she finally struck the last string, the song over. Tear's blue eyes rose open and she muted the resonating strings with her palm. Turning, she saw Jade and I, smiling calmly as she got up and stepped towards us.

"With her soul..." I repeated quietly, watching her milky white satin dress flow behind her as she neared us. I reflected for a while. Tear was so immersed in music and Natalia had claimed her love for it, and here I was, a fool who had never heard more than five songs in his lifetime. Tear, a deaf woman, had heard enough to memorize several pieces and Jade even pursued it so thoroughly as to teach it to a young girl. What was I doing here, in this world so filled with songs and sounds that I had yet to understand?

"Why is there so much music?" I asked myself. I paused, then turned to see Jade and Tear staring at me strangely. Now that I'd said it, I might as well keep going. "Why is there so much music in this place? It's so beautiful, but such a large house reserved only for melodies? What am I doing here? This feels like a dream. This house..." I shook my head and felt my fists involuntarily clench. "It's such a mystery."

Jade smiled wryly and folded his arms. "Didn't you see the gates?" I flinched at the irony that I had actually gone out to see the gates that day. "They read _Carmen House_." With the tilt of his head and Tear's equally mocking visage, Jade stated, "The word _carmen _is Latin for _song_. It's only natural that the place would be filled with music." He started for the door, tapping me on the head with his knuckle on the way out. "Perhaps you could use some studying," he teased, and Tear followed him promptly out of the room, leaving me to sulk in my humiliation.

The remainder of the morning dragged by wearily, and my lunch was served. The cook didn't usually go all out with lunches the way he did breakfast and dinner, so I had only a simple sandwich to eat until evening. Without thinking, I picked it up and started outside. I didn't know if we were allowed to eat outdoors or not, but no one was even around, so I figured they wouldn't mind.

I had been at the estate about a week, perhaps a little less. I was glad I was given an entire month because it was very difficult to make my decision. It wasn't that I didn't like music. It was that someone out there probably appreciated it more than I did. I didn't exactly _deserve_ to be the caretaker of a place like this. I had no musical talent whatsoever myself, and I just had a feeling, deep inside me, that there was someone in the world who was destined for this position. It wasn't me.

My musings were again interrupted as I passed in front of the garden, where I saw Tear. She was at the gate that led in, leaning against the structure with a small citrine flower behind her ear. A bluebird was perched on her outstretched hand, singing gleefully, its feathers voluminous to keep warm. The girl's face was bright with affection and she raised her hand upward, releasing the bird into the sky. That animal probably understood Tear better than I did, I thought shamefully to myself.

Walking over to her, I wondered what everyone would think if I refused the job offer. I could try to explain my lack of understanding when it came to music, but it would sound like an excuse. I did love this place after all. Beautiful, lavish, quintessential, and so different from where I used to live.

Tear took my hand when I got close enough and started walking slowly back to the estate with me. I'm sure we would've had conversation had either of us been able to understand each other. So we walked in silence, until Tear turned to me and gave me a smile so warm and relaxed that it reminded me of Guy.

That immediately got me thinking about something. Guy was the only person in the estate whom I had never heard any music from, or anything about him and music. The only reference I remembered was how Natalia had said Guy _kept _music in her heart. I didn't understand what she meant by that, nor did she offer to explain. Perhaps I wasn't alone in my lack of musical ability.

We arrived back inside and Tear waved "bye" to me, starting for her own room. I left for mine, but stopped outside one of the many library-like rooms. A thought crossed my mind as I took a step inside. Maybe if I did some research over music, I would come to love and understand it better. In a house so full of songs, it seems like they would have a myriad of books containing information about it.

And so I fell upon the first music history book, and then a music theory one. Taking a few of them back to my room, I then indulged in two or three hours of extensive studying and reading, just as Jade had suggested, though he was kidding.

It would be a lie to say that I didn't learn anything, but every book was brimming with so much information I found it hard to retain it all. I put them on the empty shelf in my room, so I had something to do day after day that was productive and informational. Dinner would be starting soon, so I left the room. The hallway was tinted a pale orange with the descent of the sun, but the light was still more white and yellow than red. I went down the stairs to hear that of which was becoming quite common around here.

Gentle notes glided through the air and I instinctively began yet again for the Performance Room. The door was, when I got there, already ajar and the sound I was hearing was again the great piano. Inside, the room was lit just right, not blinding, and not dark. I stood in the doorway, too nervous to disturb the peaceful melody.

Jade bare hands moved with fleet elegance and the pressure was light, the volume quiet. He pressed the chosen keys with such delicateness that the sound, in combination with the foot pedals, was hushed and joyful. This song was filled with calm bliss and it did not tear at my heart the way his first piece had.

Once more, it took me a moment to descry Jade's company. Guy was standing on the other side of the piano, his elbow sitting on the glossy black surface and his chin resting on his palm. He was leaning over it and the way his eyes were gazing straight ahead made me feel he wasn't really there. Like Tear, perhaps he was feeling the music rather than hearing it. The servant had his usual good-natured smile on his face, but there was something reminiscing in his eyes. Maybe the distance I was at was making me see things.

The two did not exchange words that I could hear, so I tried to move slowly closer to the two. Jade's adroit fingertips continued their fluid movement across the keys, and I crept closer. Guy finally spoke, his voice tender and grateful. Jade did not respond to what he said, question or not, and I managed to stay out of their eyesight.

The blonde man closed his eyes and what I heard next stopped me where I was. Guy let of a soft hum that poured out in perfect time with Jade's song. His tones were flawlessly aligned with Jade's and when he strayed from the notes given by the piano, his voice harmonized in a way that should've been written. His melodic singing voice seemed to dissolve into the verse of the song and made it shine with complimenting tones.

I saw the usual stern colonel smile temperately, but Guy was no longer so happy. His eyes were partially open, the ocean blue seemingly painted over with a gleam of sadness or lost hope. However, his voice carried on, and his lips were slightly parted to let the tone grow stronger.

Finally, he dropped out and let the piano resume solo. Guy replaced the sorrowful expression with a weak smile, and Jade looked at him with an evenness of mind that must have meant something deeper than what it appeared. However, Jade's calmness and Guy's forced struggle to forget his sadness were taken from my mind for an instant. Considering Guy's ability to sing that song so well indicated that he had heard it many times. So Guy was musical too, it turned out. I had feared this, and now I felt so inferior, I started on my way out. But before I could so much as turn around, Guy saw me, and his look stiffened.

"What did I tell you about music in this household?" a woman's voice said from behind me, grave and heavy with discontent. Jade ceased his song abruptly and Guy instantly stood straight, walking over to Jade as the man turned the board over the still vibrating keys. I dared not turn around to face the woman, but Tear ran past me and grabbed my arm at that moment, pulling me to stand beside Jade. In the next five seconds, we were all standing in a line, Tear and Guy with perfect posture, Jade with a very displeased look in his eyes, and me without a clue as to what was going on.

Before me stood a tall woman, standing straight and looking at us with hateful eyes. She moved close enough to be looking down at Tear and I, just about level with Guy and Jade. She had straight blonde hair pulled back in a dark gray clip, but a wing of her bangs fell across one of her steely blue eyes. She wore a black, white, and gray noble's dress that dragged on the ground a bit, with a closed collar and long flaring sleeves. The design of her gown was lacey and fine, as well as very sleek. Her complexion was pale, her expression serious, and her voice dark when she said:

"I forbid music of any kind in this household, and you all know that." So far, she was ignoring me. Her eagle-like stare flew across the top of my head as she moved from Guy to Jade to Tear. Though she didn't know me, I knew who she was.

The day I had come here, Guy had told me in the garden of a woman who "takes away from the beauty of this estate". Badaq's sister. Natalia's aunt. The one who strived to inherit the estate from her niece. The wretched woman I'd heard about. And here she was, no doubt on one of her occasional visits.

Jade gave a casual shrug, his hands in his pockets, and the woman's eyes flicked to him. "Well, Legretta, I'm afraid this estate does not belong to you, and you have not the authority to tell us what is allowed and what isn't." Guy bit his lip to keep from smiling and Tear stifiled a laugh at Jade's retaliation, Legretta's face heated with anger. "As long as your dear niece Natalia is in charge around here," Jade continued, narrowing his eyes at Legretta over the rims of his glasses. "You aren't."

"Silence, Curtiss!" Legretta's fierce shout echoed throughout the bland music room, and she shook with bitter animosity. "This estate will be mine and the day that happens, you will all be sorry!" She glared at me before storming out of the room, her stiletto boot heels clacking across the tile. The three of us relaxed and Jade started for the door.

"So that's the woman you were telling me about?" I asked Guy as we all followed Jade. "She really is awful."

"Her temper's one problem, but her determination is another," Guy returned. "You've got some competition for the whole caretaker business, though Legretta would take anything but care of this place." Earlier, I had been reflecting on the fact that someone was destined for the role of supervisor. It was not this woman.

* * *

"I honestly don't know what all the fuss is about," Natalia scolded over her cup of steaming tea. The princess let out a small cough before taking a sip of the liquid. "It's ridiculous, really."

We all sat in silence in one of the fine sitting rooms, everyone drinking tea except Guy, who was busy serving it. "Would you like some more tea, Mistress Legretta?" Guy offered with a fake smile. Legretta hastily gave him her cup, which Guy filled. He'd already told me to at least pretend to be nice to Legretta as long as she was here. She was, after all, the Princess's aunt.

Legretta struck me as a very urbane woman, refined and elegant in a mature way. Her slate blue eyes were now more sympathetic. "Dear, why don't we just forget that ever happened? It was nothing." After a small silence, she went on. "Are you still looking for a caretaker? I know you're soon to give this place up."

My jaw dropped as Natalia's let out a crestfallen sigh. Despite her facade, Legretta was as far from sympathic as one can get. The way she spoken about her niece's death made me sick, and I was seconds from throwing something at her before Jade saved us all. "This man beside me is actually the latest applicant for the job." He was referring, of course, to me. This time, Legretta was shocked.

"M-my, this boy?" she said with a threatening smirk. If she went any further than that, I really _was_ going to hurt her. I tensed up in my seat. "How absurd, he's not even of the proper lineage."

I was a hair away from jumping off the sofa and tackling that horrid woman to the floor, and I even jolted a little as if to get up. But Jade placed his hand on mine, letting me know that my ire was apparent and unnecessary. I let myself calm down by sitting back and closing my eyes as the conversation resumed.

"Lineage matters not in this situation." Jade.

"Luke's a splendid character, and I like him a lot." Natalia.

"I think he's really cut out for this job, despite being a stranger to us." Guy.

"I still say it's rubbish..." That awful, heartless woman.

When I opened my eyes, Legretta was standing, not casting back any glances. "Well, I'll be off to my room now. I don't want to hear any music before I got to sleep." She walked off, and I found myself wondering why Natalia didn't stand up against her.

"So she's been here long enough to have a room," I noted to Guy as we walked to the dining room. "Tell me about her."

Guy looked over his shoulder to see if she was around. "Well, it's complicated, and dinner's almost ready-"

"I don't care. I have to know everything about her." Guy gave me a hurt look, and I apologized. It was obvious I could get demanding at times, but I had to know about this woman. Her strengths, weaknesses, goals, relations, everything down to her shoe size. I had to get rid of her.

**A/N: Chapter 5 is about halfway through, so if I update soon, it'll only be half a chapter. If I update in a few weeks or so, it'll be the whole chapter. I'd say the story is about 1/3 of the way done. We still have a few characters to introduce. Don't give up on this story yet, please! **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Legretta, as you know, is Natalia's aunt, and Badaq's only sister." Guy started setting the table, and the other three residents were out of sight. "She lusts for nothing more than wealth and riches, and so she's desperate to inherit this estate, one way or another." I took a seat and watched Guy slowly orbit the table, his head down. "And, needless to say, she hates music of all kinds and forbids it when she is around."

"How often does she come here?" I asked.

"She visits occasionally, only to make her chances of persuading Natalia better. Every time she's here, she brings up the subject of 'when Natalia is going to give this place up' and 'if she's decided on a new caretaker'. It's so annoying." Grimacing in disgust, Guy let the last plate hit the tabletop a little hard. "But we're all used to it...except me."

"Why doesn't the Princess ever stand up against her? Legretta's not her mom, and Natalia has every right to tell her to leave her alone, or file a restraining order. She's disrupting the Princess's life." Guy gave a harsh laugh at my thoughts and looked up at me, a form of pain in his gleaming cyan eyes. "Isn't she?"

The servant stared at the ceiling as the heavy bells sounded again, and finally turned to me. I was shocked to see the vengeful smile Guy gave me right then. "That's exactly right. That's what I've been trying to tell her all along," he growled, danger in his voice. I knew he was twice as determined as me to rid the house of that hateful woman.

Jade entered from the side door, followed shortly by the joyful Tear. When I turned back to Guy, he no longer looked threatening, only jovial as always. I began to wonder if I had only imagined his indignation.

Dinner passed rapidly, filled with the same scrumptous foods, the same small talk, and the same routine of thank-yous and dish collecting. I retreated to my room near instantly after the meal, and busied myself once again with reading and studying everything about music. The books on my shelves were almost all read, and it wouldn't be long before I would have to exchange them with some more.

How long had I been at this estate? It seemed about a week, which meant I was already about one-fourth of the way through. Autumn days are always short to me, so I couldn't be sure. I knew that I still had a lot to learn though, and I was still uneasy about actually taking the position.

As promised, no more music filled the halls that evening.

I woke the next morning, however, to the singing chorus of harp strings. They were louder than usual, so much that I could hear them from my room, but the song was indistinct. I washed my face and got dressed, wondering to myself why Legretta had not dealt with Tear yet.

My question was soon answered when I asked Guy. "Legretta is gone for the majority of the day. Business and the usual." I smiled to myself. So that's why Tear must've been playing so loud. She was celebrating.

In the Performance Room, I saw Jade and the Princess standing side-by-side, enjoying Tear's concert. She girl's eyes were closed merrily, her smile wide, and her fingers dancing with energy and blissful speed. The dulcet song purred through the air, and I could hear Jade's deep voice comment and Natalia's soothing tone reply. The flutter of notes brought me closer, and I could see the flush on Tear's face symbolize her everlasting pleasure, as well as relief.

She snapped the last two strings and watched them sway before stilling them entirely, ending her piece. Natalia clapped brightly and smiled with such verity I wouldn't have thought her to be sick at all. "Brava! You are so talented, Tear!" she called, and Tear understood perfectly.

Guy appeared by my side and nodded with approval. "This place is so much more alive when we're all together."

"And what keeps us together..." I started, turning to him.

"Is music," Jade finished simply, leaving the two girls to communicate. "This place is empty without it." This brought forth another wince from Guy, who turned away.

"That wretched woman, I'll make her pay." He clenched his fist tightly and shook with hate. All I could do was watch and wonder. Jade gave him a hard stare of what he must've intended for sympathy. "One of these days..."

Something in that fragment caused Jade to freeze, unfocusing his gaze unto the distance. Tear seemed to notice and stepped toward him with an asking look. "What day is it?" he asked pointedly.

"Sunday," Natalia returned with surfacing concern.

"Oh, is it?" Jade pressed his lips together in nervousness and started for the door. "Well I'll be seeing you all around." His sudden departure of the room left the rest of us in one of those moments where we wanted to call out to him, but didn't know what we would say if he came back. So we merely dispersed and hoped things would explain themselves.

Within an hour, things were both explained and obfuscated. The doorbell rang and Jade hastened down the stairs, but didn't answer the door. He merely waited there until Guy showed up and stood before the door. "Are you expecting someone?" he asked Jade, who stared at the door sternly and didn't respond. I approached the two and Guy opened the door.

"Jeez, finally! I thought I might have a little more service around here! Someone should've been waiting on me at least!" A little girl's voice pierced our building's silence like a dagger and a small figure stomped inside. "Hiya! Did ya miss me?"

A girl about fourteen or fifteen stood in front of us, hands on her hips pompously. She had dark shiny curls down her back and large, cheery brown eyes. She wore a strange violet uniform with white trim, similar in style to Jade's, but different colors completely. The uniform dress came down to roughly her mid-thigh and she wore tall white socks paired with shorter white boots, purple glazed across the top in an ornate fashion. She kept her saucy expression fixed on Jade, who sighed and moved to close the door.

The girl only carried a small bag for luggage, which Guy took from her momentarily. Jade turned to me as the newcomer stood beside him. "Luke," he started, keeping his eyes on the floor. "This is Private Anise Tatlin. She works with me in the military and armed forces, and comes to visit here on selected Sundays." Turning to Anise, he extended an arm at me. "Anise, this is Luke Fon Fabre. He's applying for the job of caretaker that Miss Natalia has opened. Be sure to be on your best behavior around him." Anise rolled her eyes at Jade's chiding and marched toward me, extending a hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Fon Fabre!" I shook her hand and she beamed proudly, as if she had just made a sale. "Are you enjoying the house so far?"

"Yeah, it's great." Jade gave me a sideways glance before walking quietly off. Now that I was alone with Anise, I was even more intimidated.

"Well, I sure hope you get the job. I just met you and you already seem nicer than the _other_ applicant." I knew right away that she was talking about Legretta. "You know about this house, don't you?" she asked, leaning closer as if to tell me a secret. The wary look in her eyes made me feel like she thought this place was haunted.

"I know just about all there is to know about this house. It's full of music. I just don't know about the people." I looked down at her with a small smile. "Including yourself. Anise, was it?" She nodded happily and we started down the hall. "Can you tell me your opinion or any information on the residents here?"

Anise giggled and shrugged. "I'd love to. First, the Princess. She's so pretty; I admire her a lot." The girl's eyes grew distant and I gave her a moment before she went on. "She's very strong and I know she's trying her best to hold this place securely, as her father would've wanted her to." I nodded in agreement. "Then there's Jade. I've worked with him long enough to know a lot about him: he's really not much of a talker and he's pretty cold at times, but when you get to know him, he's a great person to be around. Plus I just love his piano music. Have you heard it?" Again, I nodded. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, I've only heard it a couple of times since I've been here. Didn't Princess Natalia used to play as well?"

"That's right. Her music was lovely too, but her sickness took away not only her spirit for playing music, but her free time to enjoy it too. I'm glad Jade still plays for her when she asks." Anise paused, taking a look around the house. "Then there's this Tear character; I don't like her a single bit!"

I stopped walking in surprise. "Wh-what? Why not? Tear's harmless!" It never occured to me that someone could have a shred of dislike for someone as peaceful and friendly as Tear. But Anise's words were not misheard, and she turned to me resolutely.

"All Tear ever does is steal Jade's attention! It's obvious she's in love with him!" Anise was gossiping to me like a little girl her age would, but I found myself more interested than I would be in any other situation. That day in the garden, when I'd asked Tear how she felt about Jade, she'd kissed me. I had thought she loved him, so I guess I was right. "I know she's deaf, and that makes it different, but she's always hogging the spotlight! And she puts on this innocent act around me!"

I let Anise go on without much interjection. "Guy's really nice, and Legretta's a horrible woman. Did I get everyone?" she turned to me as I nodded. "Oh, and you. I like you a lot. You've actually listened to me say all this after we just met."

"That's what caretakers do," I found myself saying, considering it was all I could think of.

Laughing quietly again, Anise started running down the hall. "See you later, Luke! It was nice talking to you!" I waved back and the girl was gone. _Carmen House_ re-entered my mind and I wondered if Anise had any musical talent. She wasn't an official resident like the other four, but I wouldn't be surprised. She talked so fondly of Jade and Natalia's piano music that she must've heard quite a bit of it. If she was still around before Natalia was sick, she had much more experience than I. But like Jade, a life of military awaited her. A life of music awaited me.


End file.
